In Heaven
by Crawler
Summary: COMPLETE - Set during Chapter 18 of Rogue - A moment in Heaven, while Gabriel was indiscreet on Earth


This is just a very short missing scene, looking in on what appears to be the favorite actual-OC from the _Missing an Angel_ series.

For my anonymous _History of Heaven _reviewer, thank you so much for your words! At the moment, I have no plans for writing a season 9 AU… but there is a fic opening saved on my computer in which Gabriel wasn't killed by Lucifer and may come back after all. If I did write it, though, I would write it in the break between seasons 9 and 10. The hardest part about this massive series was watching the series contradict it as I posted. If it had been contradicting it as I wrote, it would probably have killed my desire to finish it.

As it stands now, I'm currently working on a complete AU story in which the angels are humans, and we're following the very down-on-their-luck Novak family, because there aren't nearly enough all-human AUs that focus on the other angels instead of Cas and the Winchesters. You may eventually get to see that show up on this site…

In the meantime, enjoy!

* * *

_**IN HEAVEN**_

* * *

Barachiel stood nervously between Zachariah and Virgil, trying not to shift or shuffle. He didn't dare attempt to sit in one of the empty chairs. This was Raphael's war room. You did not sit here without a direct invitation from the Archangel himself.

After a thousand years of meeting with the Archangel for these bi-annual meetings, Barachiel wished he had grown accustomed to Raphael's presence. There was nothing about the Angel of the Wind to put him at ease, though, not even the hint of a smile in the Archangel's grace. Barachiel closed his eyes for a moment and sighed inwardly. He'd survive this, as he survived every other meeting.

Zachariah was in his element here, practically glowing like a small star as he attended to Raphael. Virgil, Heaven's weapons master, was calmer, but there was that same trace of pride in his grace. Even Naomi, lingering in the shadows by the door, was pleased to be in this room. As far as Barachiel could tell, he was the only one of the five Seraphim present _not_ proud to be considered important enough to brief Raphael directly.

Marmoniel was the only Seraph seated, at Raphael's right hand. She took notes for the Archangel, but Barachiel knew that Raphael would never need them. The Archangel remembered _everything_. It was one of very few things that he and Gabriel had in common, though they remembered things for very different reasons. Raphael found every tiny error, while Gabriel remembered any reason to celebrate. They were both brilliant, and both so very, very different.

Barachiel missed Gabriel. This was his greatest secret. He didn't even have Cariel around to commiserate with anymore. He missed Gabriel, and he wished for Gabriel's return, but he would never-

A sharp alarm interrupted Barachiel's private thoughts. He wasn't the only angel to jump—Zachariah and Virgil both flinched at his sides. Marmoniel leapt to her feet, and Raphael pushed his chair back and stood slowly. The alarm continued to chirp its urgency as Raphael slowly turned, but Marmoniel was already tending to the map that was excited. "Grace, sir," she said, her voice barely a breath. "An explosion of grace."

"Where?"

Marmoniel looked up, over her shoulder, her gaze meeting her choirmaster's. "Scotland."

_Scotland._ Barachiel's wings twitched, and he curled his hands against his sides so as not to make any gesture. Grace in Scotland? Only one angel was unaccounted for, only one angel who would even have an interest in Scotland.

"Gabriel." Raphael stood beside Marmoniel now, touching the map lightly. Scotland was completely glowing, along with most of the sea around it. A huge corona of grace, the size of which only an Archangel could muster. "He found Cariel."

"What do we do?" Marmoniel asked.

Raphael glanced over at Marmoniel, his grace as flat as his expression. "We bring him home. Find a vessel. Zachariah, Virgil: take your top ten Dominions, acquire vessels, and meet in Canisbay. Naomi, prepare your tools. He will not come willingly."

Barachiel's wings twitched again, and he stepped forward. "And me, sir?" It was a risk, a heady risk, and Barachiel's grace rang in his ears. Angels were going to Earth again. To _Earth_! Barachiel had been designed to care for the world below, and he longed to feel its embrace again, to sink into her atmosphere, to feel her ground beneath his feet. And _Gabriel_… even a _chance_ to see his choirmaster again would be more than he had ever dared to dream of.

Raphael turned to face Barachiel fully, the only angel in the room he had not assigned a position. His head tilted to the side, his gaze heavy as he scrutinized the younger angel. Barachiel met his eyes unwaveringly, knowing that in these circumstances, it was better to let Raphael read his thoughts than block him out. He offered up his longing to be on Earth again, his craving for the planet he held in his core. He _knew_ the Earth. He could be useful, even though he had once served at Gabriel's side.

The connection between Archangel and Seraph softened so imperceptibly that Barachiel half-thought he had imagined it, and Raphael broke the link with a slight nod. "Find a vessel. We go to where Cariel landed, but he may yet have traveled. Your job will be to scour the rest of the affected area," the Archangel gestured to the wide expanse of land that was glowing from Gabriel's grace, "to find if Gabriel is attempting to be clever. Should you locate him, you are to notify us immediately. Follow, but do not engage. Do not lose him. Is that understood?"

Barachiel bowed, his wings quivering in excitement. He was going to Earth again! Raphael was granting him his wish! "I do, sir."


End file.
